Finding a backpack that is high quality, cost-friendly, and large enough to fit your flute is hard to come by. I’ve been looking for a new backpack for a few months, and thought I would share some options that are (a) cheaper than Roi or Alteri bags (which are roughly $200 and $250, respectively), (b) tall enough to fit your flute, and (c) don’t look like a hiking backpack (since many backpacks that tall are hiking backpacks!).
My flute case cover is about 20 inches tall. If I took my flute out of the case cover and just stored the case in my backpack, it would be even shorter, but I usually just put my entire flute (case and case cover included) in my bag. Keep this in mind as you read and research backpacks for flutists on your own, and make sure to measure your flute case cover/case before you purchase a backpack!
Herschel Little America
I have used this backpack for the last four years or so – it’s still holding up and has been through a lot! It fits my laptop, my flute, piccolo, music, and other accessories – the bag has plenty of space. I personally think it was designed with the perfect number of pockets – it has a laptop sleeve, two small pockets on either side of the main pouch, and then a smaller zipped pocket on the front. This backpack is currently on sale for $95 and comes in various colors. If you get this one, select the 25L that is 19.25” tall.
Purchase the Herschel Little America here.
Fjall Raven Skule 28
I have a friend who has had the Fjall Raven backpack for 7 years, and she has nothing but good things to say about it. She especially loves the comfortable distribution of weight. The Skule 28 backpack comes in 4 different colors, is 19.65” tall, and costs $100.
Purchase the Fjall Raven here.
North Face
Though he’s not a flutist, my husband has been loyal to North Face backpacks for years – he loves the quality and number of pockets. They have a few backpacks that are tall enough to fit a flute, including the Router for $159 (4 color options, 21” tall), the Recon ($108, 19 color options, 19.6” tall), and the Isabella 3.0 ($89, 6 color options, and 20” tall).
Other Options
There are a handful of hiking backpacks that also fit flutes and don’t look too much like a hiking bag, including the LL Bean Stowaway Pack ($60, 19” tall, 6 available colors) and the LL Bean Mountain Classic Cordua Pack ($99, 19” tall, and also comes in 6 colors).
Similarly, some sporting backpacks are tall enough, like the Nike Sportswear Essential Backpack (also in brown and black) which measures roughly 21” tall. There appear to be a few different models of this backpack out there, so double-check the specifications before you buy it to make sure it’s tall enough for a flute.
Finding a quality backpack that (a) is cheaper than Roi and Alteri backpacks, (b) tall enough to fit your flute, and (c) doesn’t look like a hiking backpack is really tough, but I hope this gives you a starting place! Maybe it’s time we teamed up together to create an aesthetic, affordable, and practical backpack for flutists – let me know if you’re in. 🙂
Photo credits: Amazon, The North Face.
